Lemon Vegan Cheesecake

The-Natural-Food-Emporium-Vegan-Lemon-Cheesekae-Recipe-Seriously-Great-Granola

An afternoon treat that’s really good for you. This vegan, gluten free cheesecake is sweetened with a delicious sweet coconut paste that is equally delicoius drizzled over brownie or sandwich a little between our Choc a Choc Cookies!

Makes 1 x 22cm round Serves 12-14

Ingredients

Base

240g / 1½ cups Seriously Great Granola

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

30g / 1½ tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Filling

1 tablespoon ground chia seeds

45mls / 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon lemon juice*

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225g / 1½ cups raw cashews, soaked a few hours, drained

40ml / 2 tablespoons lemon juice*

120ml / ½ cup coconut cream

¼ teaspoon white vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

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115g / ¾ cup coconut sugar

90mls / ⅓ cup + 2 teaspoons hot water

115g / ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut cream/milk powder

30g / 1½ tablespoons coconut oil, melted

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¾ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (about 3 small or 2 large lemons)

45mls / 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon lemon juice*

Method

Line a 22cm springform pan with foil, bringing it up the side.

*The total amount of lemon juice needed is just over ½ cup - 130mls, so zest the lemons first then juice them all.

Mix the ground chia seeds with 45mls lemon juice, stirring well so no lumps form. Set aside.

Place the drained cashews, 40mls lemon juice, coconut cream, vinegar and salt in a high speed blender and blitz until really smooth. It may be necessary to scrape the mix from the sides a few times until there is no trace of any cashew pieces. It should have a creamy consistency. Using a spatula, tip it into a bowl and remove as much as possible from the blender.

Place the coconut sugar, hot water, coconut cream powder and melted coconut oil in that order in the blender. This too needs to blend until smooth and the sugar has dissolved. It will be a thick sweet paste. Again using a spatula, scrape it into a bowl. It’s okay to leave no more than a tablespoon in the blender as long as you have 300g set aside.

Place the Seriously Great Granola and cinnamon in the blender and blitz til the mix is crumbly. Add the melted coconut oil and combine. It should have the texture of moist biscuit crumbs. Tip into the prepared springform pan and press down to create a solid even base. Keep in the fridge until the filling is finished.

If you have scraped out the blender well, there is no need to wash it before tipping in the cashew cream, sweet paste, lemon juice, lemon zest and chia mix. Blend until smooth, stopping and scraping the sides so everything is incorporated.

Pour onto the granola crumb base, cover and refrigerate overnight until firm. When ready to serve, remove the side of the tin and press on some extra Seriously Great Granola around the side. It is delicious as is or can be dressed up with a few blueberries and sweetened whipped coconut cream. Keeps for a few days covered in the fridge, if not devoured beforehand!

Note

The cashew cream and sweet paste can be made the day before and refrigerated. They can be used straight from the fridge. 375 g cashew cream and 300g sweet paste is needed.

Use 100% coconut cream, not a watered down variety.

Coconut cream powder or coconut milk powder is most likely available in a health food outlet or Indian specialty store.